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July 3, 19.28. I 1,675,638

F. H. BRINKERHOFF PILOT LIGHT CONTROLLED GAS VALVE Filed Dec. 27, 1926 F/ZZidll Patented July 3, 192th p nrrs stares FREDERIG H. BEINEERHUFE, OF BELLEVILLE, NEVT JERI'EEY.

PILOT-LIGHT-UOI E'TRULLED GAS VALVE.

Application fi'lec'l December 27, 1926. Serial No. 157,281.

The present invention relates to pilot light devices for gas burners, and aims to provide novel and improved means whereby the gas valve is" controlled by the pilot light, in order that gas will not be permitted to flow to the burner it the pilot light is GXtlD." guished.

Another object of the provision of a novel assembly of the gas valve and. pilot light elements to obtain beneficial advantages.

ll ith the foregoing and other objects in view, which will be apparent as'the de" scription proceeds, the invention resides in the construction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention The invention is illustrated in the acconrpanying drawing, wherein-- Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevation illustrating one embodiment of the invention, such as for use on automatic water heaters, and the like, portions being brolren away and shown in section.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating'another embodiment of the invention fdr use in connection with the gas burners of stoves, ranges, and the like, portions being broken away and shown in secit tion.

Referring to Fig. 1, there is illustrated a burner 7 of an automatic water heater or similar appliance, and the burner, which may be of any suitable kind, is supplied with gas through a supply conduit 8 having a valve seat 9 facing in the direction of flow of gas and against which a control valve 10 is seatable in a direction opposite to the direction of flow of the gas for shutting off the flow of gas to the burner.

l n carrying out the invention the valve 10 is screw-threaded or otherwise secured on. one terminal of a pilot light tube 11, which is shown as disposed in a vertical position with the valve 10 at the lower end thereof, the conduit 8 having an opening 12 through which the tube 11 passes loosely. The lower end of the tube 11 is open below the valve 10 so that gas may flow up through said tube ll when the valve 10 is seated, in order to provide the ilot light at the upper end of the tube which is disposed adjacent to the burner 7,

As shown, the tube 11 is of the Bunsen.

burner type, being provided with an up \vardly directed nozzle 13 therein through which the gas flows into the mixing chamber within the tube above said nozzle, said tube having air inlet openings 14: through which air is drawn to Il'llX with the gas, The up per end of the tube 11 has a discharge aperture 15 through which the mixture flows and same is ignited above the tube to provide the pilot light. By mixing air with the gas a smokeless pilot light is provided to prevent parts adjacent to the pilot light being coated with soot. However, if desired, the Bunsen burner construction need not be employed, and the gas may llow directly through the upper end of the tube 11 without admitting air.

The tube 11 is slidable vertically or l0ngitudinally thereof, and is forced down wardly by a coiled spring 16 surrounding the tube and confined between a collar 17 secured on the tube above the opening 12, and the inturned flange 18 at the upper end of a tubular spring housing \19 having its lower end screw-threaded or otherwise engaged over an upstanding boss 20 surrounding the opening 12. The spring 16 normally slides the tube 11 downwardly to seat the gas controlvalve 10.

lVhen the valve 10 is closed the gas can-- not escape through the opening 12 inasmuch as said opening 18 behind the valve 10, and when the valve 10 is opened a collar or secondary valve 21 on the tube 11 below the opening 12 is adapted to seat across said opening 12 to prevent the escape of gas through said opening. The valves 10 and 21 may be faced with rubber or other suitable material to prevent leakage when said valves are seated.

An operating lover or actuator 220i any suitable kind is provided for opening the valve 10. The lever or member 22 may be operated automatically, as well known in automatic water heaters, such as by the flow of water when a faucet is opened, or the lever 22 may be operated by any suitable mechanism or manually, same being no part of the present invention Automatic water heaters and similar appliances already in use have levers or members operated automatically when the flow of water is established, that such lever or member is rep resented at 22 in Fig. 1, although the memher 22 may be taken to represent any suitable operating member which is movable upwardly in the arrangement as shown for opening lltl the valve 10. The member 22 has an arm 23 ivoted thereto and connected thereto by a sprmg 24 to permit the arm 23 to yield, and

said arm carries a roller or stud'25 to contact with a shoulder 26 on a member 27 pivp then the member 22 moving upwardly will not raise the tube 11 and valve 10, and said valve will remain seated.

The member 27 is controlled thermostatically by the pilot light in order that the opening of the valve 10 is dependent on the pilot li ht. The member 27, which is in the form 0 a lever, has a fork 30 at the end of its upper short arm receiving the free end of a thermostatic leaf or element 31 which has its opposite terminal secured, as at 32., to the collar 29. Said leaf or element 31 is arched to extend over the upper end of the pilot li ht tube 11, and has an aperture 33 above the aperture 15 so that the pilot light passes through the aperture 33. The thermostat element 31 thus provides a hood or shield protecting the pilot light, and the sidesof the element 31 may also be closed to further protect the pilot light and pret'ent said pilot light from being blown out accidentally. hen the pilot light is burning the heat thereof will cause the free terminal of the element 31 to flex away from the tube 11, thereby swinging the lower long arm of the member 27 toward the right as seen in Fig. 1 to bring the shoulder 26 above the roller 25. Consequentl when the 'member 22 is moved upwardly he member 27 is in a position to be moved by the arm 23, and this will open the valve 10 to supply the gas to the burner. At the same time, the pilot light tube 11 which is normally retracted is raised to elevate the pilot light so as to more readily li ht the gas discharging from the burner. t will be noted that the pilot light tube is normally retracted when the valve 10is closed so as to be in a position with the pilot light protected by the possible for the valve 10 to be opened by the upward movement of the lever or member 22 if the pilot light is extinguished, and this will not only save gas that would otherwise be wasted, but will also prevent asphyxiation of human beings, and explosions. If for some reason the flames are extinguished while the burner is in operation, the element 31 becoming cool will swing the member 27 off the roller 25, and the spring 16 will force the tube 11 downwardly and seat the valve 10, thereby shutting oil' the gas from the burner, and the only gas that can escape is through the pilot light tube. However, the flow of gas through the pilot light tube may be exceedingly small so that the loss of gas is not appreciable nor is there an danger of asphyxiation or explosion. ue to the protection of the pilot light by the thermostat element 31 and by the retraction of the pilot light tube, the pilot light may be smaller than usual without danger of same becoming accidentally extinguished, and this will afford a material saving in gas required for the pilot light.

Fig. 2 illustrates a modified construction for use with gas burners of cooking or heating stoves, ranges, furnaces, and the like. Thegas is supplied by a supply pipe 8" from which it flows through a manually operable control valve 10 and nozzle 9 thereof into the mixing tube 8 of the burner 7' as well known. The pilot light tube 11' extends through the mixing tube 8 and has a valve 10 within the nozzle 9 seatable against the contracted tip of the nozzle across the discharge aperture, to prevent gas being discharged from the nozzle 9 into the mixing tube and burner. A collar or nut 21' is screw-threaded or otherwise adjustably mounted on the tube 11 and seats against the wall of the burner 7 which has an opening 12' through which the tube 11 projects, and the terminal 15 of the-tube which projects from the burner is bent or directed to a point where the pilot light is located for igniting thegas discharging from the burner 7. A coiled spring 16 is confined between the burner 7 and a collar or nut 17' screwthreaded or otherwise adjustably mounted on the tube 11 on the outside of the burner, thereby holding the collar 21' seated against the wall of the burner on the interior of the burner to close the opening 12'.

When the burner flames and pilot light are extinguished by the closing of the main valve 10", the burner 7' and pilot light tube 11' being cooled will result in the tube 11 contracting so as to seat the valve 10' and close the discharge aperture of the nozzle 9'. The spring 16' normally holds the collar 21 seated against the burner 7', but if the corn traction of the tube 11' continues after the valve 10 isseated, the spring 16 may yield and permit the pilot light end of the tube to be drawn towardthe valve 10,. The How of gas is therefore shut off by the valve as well as thevalve 10", and when the valve 10 is opened'the valve 10' still closes the nozzle 9; although gas may flow through the pilot light tube 11. The gas discharging from the nozzle or terminal 15 of the pilot light tube is then ignited to provide the pilot light, and when the tube 11 becomes heated, it will expand, and the collar 21. seating against the burner 7 will result in the valve 10 being unseated as the tube 11 expands.

This will permit the gas to discharge from.

the nozzle 9 into the mixing tube and burner and the pilot light will ignite the gas discharging from the burner.

With this arrangement it will be noted that the gas cannot flow to the burner 7' unless the pilot light is present, thereby avoiding escape of gas from the burner. Moreover, should the flames become extinguished with the valve 10 open, thetube 11 becoming cooled will result in the valve 10 being seated, so that the only gas escaping is through the tube 11. Such flow of gas through the pilot light tube is too insignificant to result in appreciable loss or likelihood of danger.

The pilot light tube 11' and its valve 10 may be used in connection with various kinds of gas burners for heating and lighting purposes.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. The lcombination of a burner and a gas'supply conduit for the burner, a pilot light tube entendingto the exterior of the burner and having a portion extending within said conduit and movable longitudh nally of itself, and a valve on said portion of the tube and seatable in said conduit for shutting off the flow of gas through said conduit.

:2. The combination of a gas control valve for a burner, actuating means for opening said valve, and means carried bodily with said valve and controlling the connection between said actuating means and valve and including a pilot light thermostat arranged to maize and break said connection when the pilot light is lit and extinguished, respectively,

3. The combination of a gas control valve for a burner, an actuator for opening said valve, a connecting medium between said valve and actuator movable with the valve, and pilot light thermostat movable with said valve and controlling said medium to make and break the connection between said actuator and valve when the pilot light is lit and extinguished, respectively.

lThe combination of a gas burner, a gas supyily conduit therefor, a slidable pilot light tu e, a valve movable with said tube to closesaid conduit, an actuator for moving said tube to open said valve, and thermo static means carried by said tube formaking and breaking the connection between said actuator and tube when said means becomes heated and cooled, respectively.

ei'igagement or non-engagement of said actuator with said member when said thermostat is heated and cooled, respectively,

6. The combination of a gas burner, a gas supply conduit therefor, a slidable pilot Light tube, a control valve carried by said tube and arranged to shut off the how of gas through said conduit, spring means for moving said tube to close said valve, an actuator for sliding said tube to open said valve, a member pivotally connected with said tube and adapted for the engagement of said actuator to move the tube with the actuator, and an arched thermostat disposed across the discharge end of said tube and connected to said tube and also engaging said member to position said member for the engagement or non-engagement of said actuator when the thermostat is heated and cooled, respectively. 7

7. The combination of a gas burner, a gas supply conduit therefor and a movable pilot light tube having a valve to close said conduit, with one end of the tube at the exterior of said burner and so arranged that the pilot light is movable with said tube relatlvely to the burner, said tube and pilot light being normally in a retracted position and the tube being arranged to be projected to move the pilot light to a position to light the gas flowing from the burner when the valve is opened.

8. The combination of a gas burner, a gas supply conduit therefor, a slidable pilot light tube adapted to be retracted and projected with reference to the burner and havmg a terminal at the exterior of the burner to provide a pilot light movable with the tube, a valve movable with said tube to close said conduit when the tube is retracted, spring means for retracting the tube and closing said valve,and means for opening said valve and projecting said tube so as to project the pilot light to a position for lightmg the gas flowing from the burner,

9. The combination of a gas burner, a gas supply conduit therefor, a movable pilotlight tube, a valve movable with said tube to close said conduit, an actuator for moving said tube to open said valve, and thermostatic means for making and breaking the connection between said actuator and tube when said means becomes heated and cooled, respectively.

10. The combination of a burner, a gas supply conduit for the burner, a longitudinally movable pilot light tube Within said conduit and extending to the exterior of said burner, and a valve movable with said tube to control the flow of gas through said con- 10 duit, said tube communicating through said valve.

In testimony whereof I hereunto atlix my signature.

FREDERIC H. BRINKERHOFF. 

